Recently it was brought to my attention that I have a lot of yarn. Of course, most knitters or crocheters have a lot of yarn, but I just seem to have a lot of it because it keeps getting in the way of things.

Anyway, I have a rule that I can’t purchase any more yarn until I get rid of at least a third of it. I may end up giving some away, but right now I am trying to find projects that 1) interest me and 2) can be done quickly. And since it is summer I prefer light projects that don’t seem “hot.” You know, no sweaters, blankets, or wool.

Well, I have done some filet crochet in the past and I actually enjoy thread crochet, so I started looking around for projects that were in that venue. Crochet Me is a a great crochet resource, with lots of modern crochet projects that make me excited to pick up a hook and ball of yarn.

I found this Happy Hippie Hair Tie in the Crochet Me archives and it begged to be stitched. As a plus, it works really well for my thick hair. I also made a pink version with white pony beads on the outer edge. It looks a bit more elegant but I had a hard time getting a decent picture. I used a cotton thread for both hair ties, so they stretch a little bit. Each one took me about half an hour. I would love to make more with beads, but since I can’t buy any more yarn, I can’t really justify starting a bead collection just yet.

One of the between issue emails that Crochet Me sent out recently included a free pattern called Hydrate! The purpose is to be a water bottle holder. In one evening I made this, using one ball of Sugar ‘n Spice kitchen cotton (I think it is traditionally used for making kitchen dishcloths or hotpads). I liked the black and white because I like to think it will go with anything. And having my water bottle with me at all times really helps me keep my water intake to what it should be.

Now, these two projects may not have made a terrible dent in my stash, but it has helped me get inpsired to keep crocheting throughout the summer months. I plan on attacking a thrift store t-shirt and attempt my own version of the Galaxy Top. And I have a few bag patterns rolling around in my head as well.

Maybe by Fall I will have met my goal of using at least a third of my yarn. And if I am truly inspired, maybe I’ll have exceeded it.
(Click pictures for larger view.)

Today’s number of the day was one. It seemed like such a let down, but the Count didn’t seem to mind.

Also on the Count front, I would like to thank The Count for teaching my son how to say “Un… TWO… free!” When you get him in the right mood, he’ll say it and he is just SO CUTE!

There’s this product that some company came out with that makes college themed videos similar to the “Baby Einstein” video series. There are some folks who think this is brain washing. I think it’s kinda cool.

Is it brain washing when you teach your child not to touch a hot stove?

No, it’s good parenting.

Anyway… it’s kinda funny that some people are freaking out over this, ’cause I’m currently working on a project (I’ll write a detailed entry about it once I’m done) that will make a college themed video look pretty tame by comparison.

(Remember, I’m the guy who sewed a matching set of father-and-son Auburn Elvis costumes so we’d get on TV at basketball games – WHICH WE DID!)

And in the my baby is growing up so fast category: Damon and Fuller go to Kindermusik today! Zoo Train, here they come!

I went for a walk yesterday afternoon. I walked down Broadstreet, on the Starbucks side, going toward the Aquarium. There is a section of the sidewalk, between 6th and 5th street, that is covered by scaffolding because of construction.

As I walked under the scaffolding I noticed a bird flying in and out of the plywood covering. Suddenly the birded swooped outside, right in front of me. And then, as I kept walking, the bird swooped back in, behind me and flew into my right shoulder.

I yelped, surprised that a bird would do that. The bird was sitting, singing, on the metal crossbars. Then I considered that it was a mockingbird, so maybe it was living up to its name.

I finished walking toward the river and turned around to go back to work. Again, I made my way under the scaffolding and suddenly I was whacked on the back by the bird again.

I guess I invaded its precious territory or something. But, I am not walking under that scaffolding again. There is a reason the Greyfriar’s side seems safer to me.

Sometimes we are a one step forward, a half a step back type family.

When we moved Fuller to the big boy bed we were so thrilled how easy it was. And then morning came.

Fuller?s bedroom door is a custom-made pocket door. Damon made it, we did not purchase it pre-hung to install. Because it is custom it lacks a few things that a door might have- an interior door handle, a lock, and a complete door jam..

In the mornings, when Fuller wakes up, he slides out of bed and maybe he plays with some toys. If a dog was accidentally closed up in his room for the night, he plays with Maple or Lively. And then, when he has been cooped up in his room for long enough he goes to the door and knocks.

Actually, it isn?t so much a knock as it is a bang. The missing interior door jam allows the door to swing a little bit, knocking on the exterior door jam. If he keeps knocking, it keeps swinging, alerting us to the fact that Fuller is up and ready to go.

Except, it is 6:45 in the morning.

In the days of the crib, Fuller would stay in his crib singing, talking, and banging the bars until we were ready to get him up, usually around 7:30- 8 am. Sometimes, on the weekends he was happy to stay in there until 8:30 or so.

But, once the big boy bed was introduced, he wasn?t always happy to hang out until we were ready to free him. I would be getting ready for work and hear a ?knock, knock, knock? indicating that Fuller was trying to get our attention. I would tip toe around the house making my lunch, quickly checking email, and some how I know Fuller knew I was up and his ?knock, knock, knock? got louder and louder. Often it was accompanied by some talking. And if I continued to ignore it, it became a cry.

Damon was still in bed during all of this, trying to sleep at least until 7:30, which was the original approved getting the day going time. It was the time that Fuller used wake up (actually he would often sleep in until 8). That is until we had the bright idea to move him to the big boy bed.

When Fuller started getting up earlier, I thought I would help out by going ahead and getting Fuller juiced, fed, changed, etc. And then when D got up he wouldn?t have to do as much because I would already have done it for him or at least gotten it started.

However, this actually backfired because what would happen is D would wake up and 5 seconds later I would be out the door and D wouldn?t have a grasp on what was going on because he just woke up and what did I just tell him about Fuller?s breakfast? He needed it? He hated it? What? Chicken butt?

So, we talked it out. D thought I was getting Fuller up to early (actually I think he meant I was letting Fuller out of his room too early. I had nothing to do with the fact that Fuller was actually awake.) I thought Fuller needed to be let out or the door was going to fall off the pocket door track.

And then my Dad came to visit. Since we have a lack of visitor sleeping spaces, Fuller got to go back to his crib and Daddy slept in the big boy bed. Fuller didn?t really care. And seeing that he didn?t care, we have since taken the half step back.

Fuller is back in his crib at night. During the day, when he takes his nap, he gets the big boy bed. And maybe this is the arrangement that will work until he is old enough to read a clock. Or maybe it is the arrangement that will work until there is a new occupant for the crib. Either way, problem two: the early awakening is solved.

Except, he still wakes up at 6:45. But the pocket door isn?t going to come off the track any time soon.

Maybe we were the ones who weren?t ready for the big boy bed.